Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale made the call during the plenary session of the 76th WHO Regional Committee for Africa, where Member States discussed the regional strategy, A New Era of Health for Africa: United Action for Vision 2035.
The strategy was presented by WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi at a session chaired by Ethiopia’s Minister for Health, Dr. Mekdes Daba. Kenya expressed its full support for the vision, noting that it aligns with ongoing reforms to build a resilient, accessible and sustainable health system.
CS Duale said Africa’s pursuit of health self-reliance must move beyond declarations and be anchored on three priorities: sustainable health financing, local manufacturing and digital transformation.
On health financing, he called for stronger domestic resource mobilisation and increased fiscal commitment to health, noting that African health systems cannot continue relying heavily on external financing. He highlighted Kenya’s Taifa Care programme under the Social Health Authority, which has enrolled more than 32 million people and strengthened domestic financing for primary healthcare.
The Cabinet Secretary urged the WHO Regional Office for Africa to support countries in developing stronger health investment cases and convene joint engagements between Health and Finance Ministers to secure sustainable domestic financing.
On local manufacturing, CS Duale highlighted Kenya’s ratification of the treaty establishing the African Medicines Agency and urged other Member States to expedite ratification. He said a strong continental regulatory framework, pooled procurement and joint regulatory approvals would create predictable demand and expand opportunities for African manufacturers.
“Health product sovereignty will ultimately be built through procurement and sustained demand, not declarations alone,” he said.
CS Duale also outlined Kenya’s progress in digital health, including the development of an integrated national architecture connecting health facilities, claims management and national health registries. Digital systems are also supporting the delivery of services at the community level through more than 107,000 Community Health Promoters.
Kenya further supported the establishment of a regional health data hub founded on interoperable standards, strong data governance and systems owned and trusted by Member States. This approach will help protect African sovereignty over the continent’s health data.
The Cabinet Secretary reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to working with the WHO Regional Director and Member States to implement the regional strategy and build a resilient, sustainable and self-reliant African health sector.
The Kenyan delegation included Kenya’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, H.E. Amb. Galma Boru; Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth; Digital Health Agency CEO Eng. Anthony Lenaiyara; and Director of Health Sector Coordination and Intergovernmental Relations Dr. Omar Albush.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Health, Kenya.
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